Crumbling cliffs and crashing waves A self guided walk along the South Devon Railway See one of Britain’s most spectacular railways Find out how and why it was built between cliffs and the sea Explore the coastal processes and manmade features that shape the line Discover how dramatic forces of nature affect the trains .discoveringbritain www .org ies of our land the stor scapes throug discovered h walks 2 Contents Introduction 4 Route overview 5 Practical information 6 Detailed route maps 8 Commentary 12 Credits 34 © The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), London, 2015 Discovering Britain is a project of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) The digital and print maps used for Discovering Britain are licensed to the RGS-IBG from Ordnance Survey 3 Crumbling cliffs and crashing waves Keeping the trains on track in South Devon Seeing is believing! Travelling by train along the South Devon coast between Exeter and Newton Abbot is one of the most spectacular rides on the British railway system. Ever since the line was built in the 1840s it has been closed many times by cliff collapses and sea wall breaches. Today the trains are still affected by gale force winds and flooded tracks, including the devasting storms of Waves over the line - a train caught in a storm at Dawlish February 2014. © Anthony T Steel The line is expensive to maintain but kept open because it is a vital communication link for the people and economy of the southwest. This walk follows the railway between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren as it passes along the side of estuaries and bays and through dramatic coastal tunnels. The route reveals the precariousness of this railway line balanced between steep cliffs and the sea. You will see stunning views and spectacular coastal features but there are also some fascinating stories and hidden secrets to discover. Note: The winter storms of January and February 2014 completely destroyed part of this walk - not only the sea wall at Dawlish but a large section of the railway line too. The storms also created large and dangerous land slips between Teignmouth and the first railway tunnel. At the time of writing (February 2015) the section of the walk between Teignmouth and Dawlish Station (Stops 1- 15) was open with the usual precautions regarding the state of the tides. The seawall reconstruction is still ongoing between Stop 16 and Stop 18. An alternative route to complete the walk is now included. 4 Route overview 5 Practical information Location Teignmouth to Dawlish Warren, Devon, South West England Getting there Train - served by long distance services from London Paddington, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh. Also served by local trains running between Torbay and Exmouth via Newton Abbot and Exeter. Car - about 6 miles from Newton Abbot which is on the main A380 Exeter to Torquay road. Town and seafront parking available (charges apply). Bus - served by long distance coaches plus local routes running from Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay. Start point Teignmouth railway station, TQ14 8PG Finish point Dawlish Warren railway station, EX7 0NF Onward You can return to Teignmouth by train (4 per hour at peak journey times; 1 per hour off-peak) or bus (every 20 minutes) Distance 5 ¼ miles Level Moderate – Seawall sections of the walk are flat but there are two sections with a steep climb and descent. Conditions At times the seawall and sections of the path can be closed due to high tides and bad weather. Check local weather information and tide times before going. Alternative routes are provided in the directions. 6 Suitable for Families - children will enjoy the beaches and the thrill of close-passing trains, although there is a limited barrier between the path and line so be vigilant. Dogs - should be kept on a lead near the railway line and are only allowed on beaches at certain times of year. Refreshments Various places to eat and drink in Teignmouth (the start) and Dawlish (half way point). There is also a seasonal cafe at Coryton Cove (Stop 14) and Red Rock Cafe (after Stop 19). Facilities Public toilets are available at the following locations: - Teignmouth railway station (Stop 1) - Teign Heritage Centre (Stop 2) - Promenade near Yacht Club (after Stop 3) - Bottom of Smugglers Lane - Easter-September (after Stop 7) - Boat Cove, near Kennaway Tunnel (after Stop 14) - Dawlish railway station (Stop 16) - Dawlish Warren car park near railway station (after Stop 21) Other info You might want to bring binoculars to enjoy the views of the coastline. Wear suitable footwear for walking. Tourist Teignmouth Tourist Information Centre (Tel: 01626 215666) information Located at The Den next to the bowling green Dawlish Tourist Information Centre (Tel: 01626 215665) Located at The Lawn behind Dawlish railway station 7 Detail of the first part of the route Stopping points Start. Teignmouth railway station 4. Sea wall steps after the Yacht Club 2. Teign Heritage Centre, 29 French Street 5. Sprey Point, seaward side 3. Sea wall beside St Michael’s Church 6. Sprey Point, above broken breakwater 8 Detail of the second part of the route Stopping points 11. The Toll House, Old Teignmouth 7. Sea wall in front of Parson’s Tunnel 12. Road Lea Mount Park, viewpoint over 8. Sunnylands, 29 Teignmouth Road Coryton’s Cove 9. Bench over the Smugglers Inn Valley 13. Lea Mount Park, viewpoint over Dawlish 10. Above West Brook waterfall 14. Coryton’s Cove 9 Detail of the third part of the route Stopping points 12. Lea Mount Park, viewpoint over Coryton Cove 13. Lea Mount Park, viewpoint over Dawlish 14. Coryton Cove 15. At the end of the King’s Walk in front of the Colonnade Viaduct 16. A view of the long platforms at Dawlish station 17. The second footbridge after Dawlish station 10 Detail of the final part of the route Stopping points 18. Footbridge over railway line 19. Langstone Rock 20. Footbridge over railway line between Red Rocks Café and Dawlish Warren station Finish. Dawlish Warren station 11 1. Welcome to South Devon Teignmouth railway station This walk follows the South Devon railway line between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren stations. For much of the route we will follow the railway tracks positioned precariously on the coast. Along the route we will explore how geography and geology have influenced this railway in a variety of ways. First we will investigate different rock types, landscape formations and coastal processes in this area. Second we will discover how the characteristics of this landscape posed challenges to the engineers that designed this railway - and continue to cause problems today. Third we will find out about the strategic Engraving of Parson and Clerk Rock by Newman & Co (c.1840) importance of this railway to the economy of Reproduced with the kind permission of Devon Libraries South West England and ponder its future. The walk was created by Pat Wilson, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Pat: “A few years ago I left landlocked Bedford behind to live by the sea in Teignmouth, South Devon. One of my favourite walks is along the coast from Teignmouth to Dawlish Warren. Of course I love this walk for the sea air and lovely views but there’s much more to it than that.” “As a geographer, I have always been interested in the conflict between the land and sea. But it becomes all the more dramatic here where a vital communication link lies on the junction between the two. There are some fascinating stories and hidden secrets along this stretch of coastline and I hope to share some of them with you.” Do note that before starting this walk, you should check tide times carefully. Access to part of the route - Smugglers Lane at the end of the Teignmouth seawall and the Langstone Rock between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren - may not be possible at high tide. Please use the alternative directions included. Directions 1 From the station cross the road near the roundabout and go past the anchor to the Teign Heritage Centre. Find the old Teignmouth to Dawlish toll road milestone outside the Heritage Centre. 12 2. The Great Marsh Teign Heritage Centre, 29 French Street Since our walk is all about the South Devon Railway it is appropriate that we start at Teignmouth station. The railway line was completed in 1846, which was also when this station opened. Originally not much thought was given to the station buildings and a temporary wooden structure served for 48 years. The building we can see today dates from 1894. It was designed in what was known as the ‘French Pavillion’ style and built of local Devonian limestone. Apart from the booking hall, which was enlarged in 1980, it remains Site of the Great Marsh Rory Walsh © RGS-IBG Discovering Britain almost unchanged today. What has changed significantly over time is the landscape between the Heritage Centre and the station. Look for the name of the street to the left which runs towards the rear of the Waitrose supermarket. It’s called Lower Brook Street and that gives us a clue. Until about 200 years ago the River Tame, now culverted, flowed down this steep valley behind the station. On reaching this flatter land it slowed and created the ‘Great Marsh’ in the area around you. This was drained in the early 1800s creating the land that the station was eventually built upon. The river then used to flow down the line of Lower Brook Street into its marshy estuary with the River Teign. The draining of the Great Marsh is our first example of humans intervening in the physical landscape in Teignmouth.